Snap ring closure seal for plastic containers



Dec. 14, 1965 R. c. ALLEN SNAP RING CLOSURE SEAL FOR PLASTIC CONTAINERSFiled Jan. 24, 1963 INVENTOR EIcHABD CHLLEH United States Patent3,223,278 SNAP RING CLOSURE SEAL FOR PLASTIC CONTAINERS Richard C.Allen, Glen Ellyn, 11L, assignor to Continental Can Company, Inc., NewYork, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Jan. 24, 1963, Ser. No.253,570 1 Claim. (Cl. 22060) This invention relates to a novel snap ringclosure of the type particularly adapted for sealing large mouthcontainers to provide an air tight seal between a closure and thecontainer when the container is being transported to a customer or instorage.

An object of this invention is to provide a novel snap ring closure forsealing large mouth containers, the snap ring closure having a dependingskirt spaced from a coaxial annular wall, the space between the skirtand the annular wall corresponding generally to the thickness of acontainer neck which is adapted to be inserted into the space, the skirthaving a peripheral locking lug directed radially toward the annularwall for snap sealing engagement with a peripheral locking slot in anexternal wall of the container neck, and a locking ring overlying theskirt where-between the skirt and the annnluar wall of the closure issecurely sealed therein with the annnular wall providing internalsupport against the tendency of the locking ring to deform the skirt andthe container neck radially inwardly.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a novel snap ringclosure of the type having an end wall, a skirt depending peripherallyfrom the end wall, the skirt being provided with an inwardly directedperipheral locking lug opposed and spaced from a depending annular walland a locking ring overlying the depending skirt, and in addition, toprovide the annular wall with a plurality of circumferentially spacedradial reinforcing ribs to provide additional internal support againstthe tendency of the locking ring to deform the skirt and the containerneck radially inwardly.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a novel snap ringclosure of the type immediately above described wherein the annular wallhas an axial length at least equal to the distance between theperipheral locking lug and the end wall of the closure whereby theannular wall overlies and is spaced from the peripheral locking lugalong the entire circumferential extent thereof.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a novel snap ringclosure of the type particularly adapted for sealing large mouthcontainers having an upstanding neck including a peripheral locking slotin an external wail of the container neck, the snap ring closureincluding a recessed closure end wall terminating in an integralupwardly directed annular wall, the annular wall being joined to adepending skirt, the skirt having a peripheral locking lug directedradially toward the annular wall and a locking ring overlying theannular wall and the depending skirt, the junction between the recessedend wall and the annular wall being substantially radially adjacent theperipheral locking lug of the skirt thereby providing maximum internalsupport against the tendency of the locking ring to deform the skirt andthe container neck radially inwardly.

With the above, and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear,the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by referenceto the following detailed description, the appended claim and theseveral views illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

in the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of of a snap ringclosure constructed in accordance with this 3,223,273 Patented Dec. 14,1965 invention, and illustrates a closure having a recessed end wall anda depending peripheral skirt snap sealed upon the neck of a large mouthcontainer, and a locking ring retaining the closure upon the neck of thecontainer.

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional View of another snap ringclosure constructed in accordance with this invention, and shows aclosure having a depending peripheral skirt and a coaxial annular wallsealingly seated upon a neck of a container and lockingly retainedthereon by a locking ring overlying a peripheral portion of the closure.

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view taken along line 33of FIGURE 2, and shows a plurality of radial reinforcing ribs of theclosure.

Referring to the drawing in detail, FIGURE 1 illustrates a container orbottle 3 having an integral upstanding neck 4 forming a large open mouth5. The container 3 is particularly adapted for holding paint, but mayalso be used with other liquids. The container 3 is preferablyconstructed from a durable plastic material, such as polyethylene, ormay be readily fabricated from metal.

The neck 4 of the container 3 includes a peripheral wall 6 having aninner peripheral surface 7 and an outer peripheral surface 8. Aperipheral locking slot 10 is formed in the outer peripheral surface 8of the container neck 4. The peripheral locking slot 10 is semi-circularin transverse section and is substantially one-third the depth of thethickness of the wall 6 between the peripheral surfaces 7 and 8 thereof.

A snap ring closure 11 includes a closure 12 and a locking ring 13. Theclosure 12 is preferably constructed from plastic material while thelocking ring 13 is preferably made from an integral piece of metal.However, the closure 12 may also be constructed from a resilient pieceof metal.

The closure 12 includes a recessed end Wall 14 received within the widemouth 5 of the container or bottle 3. The recessed end wall 14 of theclosure 12 terminates in an upwardly directed annular wall 15 having aninner peripheral surface 16 in intimate engagement with the innerperipheral surface 7 of the neck 4. The annular wall 15 of the closure12 is joined to and spaced from a depending peripheral skirt 17 by aperipheral connecting portion 18.

The depending skirt 17 includes an inn-er peripheral surface 20 inintimate engagement with the outer peripheral surface 8 of the neck 4,and an outer peripheral surface 21. The depending skirt 17 terminates ina rounded peripheral edge 22. The depending skirt 17 has an integralperipheral locking lug 23 directed radially inwardly toward the annularwall 15 of the closure 12. The peripheral locking lug 23 issemi-circular in transverse section and complements the semicirculartransverse section of the peripheral locking slot 10 in the wall 6 ofthe neck 4. The peripheral locking lug 23 is substantially radiallyadjacent the junction between the recessed end wall 14 and the annularwall 15 of the closure 12 for a purpose to he described fully hereafter.

The locking ring 13 is preferably constructed from metal and includes aninner peripheral wall 24, a pcripheral end wall 25 and an integraldepending peripheral outer wall 26. A free peripheral edge 27 of theperiph eral inner wall 24 is flared slightly radially inwardly, while afree peripheral edge 28 of the outer peripheral wall 26 is flaredslightly radially outwardly. The flared peripheral edges 27 and 28 ofthe locking ring 13 permit the locking ring 13 to be easily secured tothe closure 12 and rapidly removed therefrom.

The locking ring 13 is preferably of the type which may be replaced onthe closure 12 to reclose the container 3 after the closure 12 has atleast once been removed. However, the locking ring 13 may be of the typewhich when once removed from the closure 12 cannot be reapplied thereto.

Irrespective of the type of locking ring 13 employed, it is important tonote that the locking ring 13 is applied to the closure 12 to assurethat the peripheral locking lug 23 remains in sealing engagement withthe peripheral locking slot 18 of the neck 4. The locking ring 13 ispress forced in place upon the closure 12 in the position shown inFIGURE 1. As the locking ring 13 is press forced upon the closure 12,the annular wall 15 and the recessed end wall 14 of the closure 12provide internal support against the tendency of the locking ring 13 toradially deform the depending skirt 17 and the upstanding wall 6 of theneck 4. That is, as the locking ring 13 is forced upon the closure 12,in the absence of some portion of the closure 12 in the mouth of theneck 4, the neck 4 and the skirt 17 would deform radially inwardly fromthe forces applied during the insertion of the locking ring 13 upon theclosure 12. However, the presence of the annular wall 15 and the endwall 14 within the open mouth 5 of the container or bottle 3 precludesradial inward deformation of the depending skirt 17 and the neck 4.Because no radial deformation can occur, the seal between the peripherallocking lug 23 and the peripheral locking slot is maintained air tight.

Another snap ring closure constructed in accordance with this inventionis illustrated in FIGURE 2 of the drawings and is generally designatedby the reference numeral 31. The snap ring closure 31 includes a closure32 and a locking ring 33.

The closure 32 includes an end Wall 34 having an annular wall 35depending downwardly therefrom into the mouth 5 of the neck 4. An innerperipheral surface 36 of the annular wall 35 intimately engages theinner peripheral surface 7 of the upstanding wall 6 of the neck 4. Theannular wall 35 terminates in a peripheral edge 37. An integralperipheral connecting portion 38 of the end wall 34 joins and spaces aperipheral depending skirt 39 to the annular wall 35.' The peripheralskirt 39 includes an inner peripheral surface 40 in intimate engagementwith the outer peripheral surface 8 of the container neck 4. An outerperipheral surface 41 of the depending skirt 39 terminates at alowermost portion thereof in a rounded peripheral edge portion 42. Anintegral peripheral locking lug 43 is formed in the depending skirt 39,and is radially inwardly directed toward the depending annular wall 35.The peripheral locking lug 43 is of a semi-circular transverse sectionand is in complementary engagement with the peripheral locking slot 10in the neck 4 of the container 3.

The locking ring 33 is preferably constructed of metal and overlies theouter peripheral surface 41 of the depending skirt 39. The locking ring33 has an inwardly directed flange 44 overlying an uppermost portion ofthe closure 32 and an integral depending peripheral side wall 45 inintimate engagement with the depending skirt 39 of the closure 32. Theperipheral side wall 45 of the locking ring 33 terminates in anoutwardly flared peripheral edge portion 36 which enables the lockingring 33 to be more easily inserted upon and removed from the closure 32.

The depending annular wall 35 of the closure 32 provides internalsupport against radially directed forces of the locking ring 35 tendingto deform the depending skirt 35 and the container neck 4, in a mannersimilar to that heretofore discussed with reference to FIGURE 1.However, a distinction between the internal support afforded by thedepending annular wall 35 of FIGURE 2 and the annular wall of FIGURE 1should be apparent from a brief comparison of the respective figures.For example, the depending annular wall 35 is not supported internallyof the container mouth 5 by the end wall 34 as is the annular wall 15 ofthe closure 12.

To provide additional internal support against the force of the lockingring 33, the closure 32 is provided with a plurality of integralcircumferentially spaced radially extending reinforcing ribs 30 whichare best shown in FIGURE 3. The reinforcing ribs 3% are integrallyjoined at the axis of the closure 32 to assure non-deformation of thedepending skirt 39 and the upstanding wall 6 of the container 3 againstradially inwardly directed forces created by the insertion of thelocking ring 35 upon the closure 32. Thus, effective sealing between theperipheral locking lug 43 and the peripheral locking slot 10 isprovided.

While specific embodiments of snap ring closures have been disclosedherein, it is to be understood that various modifications of theabove-mentioned structures may be made without departing from the spiritand scope of this invention as defined in the appended claim.

Iclaim:

The combination of a wide mouth plastic container having an upstandingneck provided with a peripheral locking slot in an external portionthereof, said locking slot defining a peripherally weakened area of saidneck having a thickness less than the thickness of the major portion ofsaid neck, a removable snap ring closure secured upon said neck, saidsnap ring closure including a plastic closure having a dependingperipheral skirt and an integral coaxial annular wall spaced from saidperipheral skirt, said neck being sealingly received in the spacebetween said skirt and said annular wall, said skirt including anintegral peripheral radially inwardly directed locking lug received insealing engagement in the peripheral locking slot of the container neck,the annular wall terminating internally of the neck in a planar endpanel lying in a plane common to a plane through the locking slot andlocking lug, said peripheral skirt terminating in a terminal edgeaxially spaced from both said peripheral locking lug and the end panel,a bight portion integrally joining the annular wall to the peripheralskirt, said peripheral skirt, bight portion and annular wall defining agenerally inverted U-shaped portion of the plastic closure, a removablelocking ring press forced upon said closure tending to deform the skirtand the neck of the container radially inwardly at the peripherallyweakened area of the neck, said locking ring being formed of metallicmaterial and being of a generally inverted U-shaped configuration intransverse section, and leg and bight portions of said locking ringoverlyingly engaging the respective peripheral skirt, annular wall, andbight portion of said closure.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,746,807 2/ 1930Westerbeck 220--60 2,303,733 12/ 1942 Freeman. 2,644,978 7/ 1953 Becker.2,669,369 2/1954 Towns 215--9S 2,787,397 4/1957 Radford 2151.5 2,893,4567/1959 Wallace -5 2,990,998 7/1961 Barclay 150-5 FOREIGN PATENTS1,098,217 3/1955 France. 1,175,373 11/1958 France.

431,372 7/1935 Great Britain.

725,882 3/ 1955 Great Britain.

510,691 1/1955 Italy.

THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

